Draft rigging



G. F. COUCH DRAF T RIGGING Dec. 31, 1935.

Filed April 19, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 31, 1935. F, COUCH 2 ,025,726

- DRAFT RI GGING Filed April 19, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. F. COUCH DRAFTRIGGING Dec. 31, 1935.

Filed April 19, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 31, G O C DRAFT RIGGING FiledApril 19, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3mm 7 ucf Zia Patented Dec. 31, 1935PATENT oFFicE DRAFT RIGGING Glenn F. Couch, Rochester, N. Y., assignorto The Symington Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of MarylandApplication April 19, 1932, Serial No. 606,254

10 Claims.

This invention relates to draft rigging and, more particularly, to acoupler and the connection thereof to a railway vehicle or locomotivepilot beam.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is theconnection of a coupler with a relatively short shank to a railwayvehicle in such a manner that it angles as if it were swivelled about along radius.

Another object of my invention is the connection of a coupler to alocomotive pilot beam in such a manner that it may swing horizontallyabout a center disposed a relatively great distance rearwardly of saidbeam, thereby making it the equivalent of a long radius coupler, and

avoiding derailments, especially when the locomotive is used for pusherservice.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particulararrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparentas the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereofis defined by the appended claims:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan, with portions in horizontal section onthe line II of Figure 2, of a coupler embodying my invention andconnected to the front of a locomotive pilot beam.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the embodiment of myinvention shown in Figures 1 and 2, with portions of the mechanismremoved to show one of the rockers.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 1,- but showing amodification.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 6 6 of Figure 5,looking in the direction of the arrows, the coupler head and stub stembeing shown in elevation.

Figure '7 is a side elevational view of the em bodiment of my inventionillustrated in Figures 5 and 6, a portion being broken away.

Figure 8 is a side elevational View of one of the rockers.

When utilizing a locomotive for pusher service, the pilot coupler isnaturally displaced on curves a considerable extent horizontally fromthe center of the track, and this requires that the connectedcouple-r onthe caboose, or rear car of 55' the train beingpushed, must swing in thewrong direction to maintain proper face contact, in some instances,swinging further than the enclosing striking casting permits, with theresult that a derailment occurs. A theoretically correct solution ofthis problem of preventing such derail- 5 ments would require that thefront end of the locomotive be equipped with a coupler having a shank oradapted to swivel about a radius in the neighborhood of eight or tenfeet long. The average locomotive has no spare space along its lon- 1'0gitudinal center line for any such coupler shank. In accordance with myinvention, I have devised the equivalent of a long radius coupler whichcan be applied to the front of the pilot beam. 7

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts 15 being designated bylike reference characters, and first considering the embodiment of myinvention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, there is shown aportion of a locomotive pilot beam I to which is connected a basecasting or bracket mem- 20 her 2 as by means of bolts 3 and nuts 4, saidb'olts 3 preferably extending through slots 5 in the base web 6 of thecasting 2 to allow for vertical adjustment of said casting with respectto the beam I.

Inasmuch as, the base web 6 of the casting 2, B5 in the presentembodiment, when in the desired position, extends below the bottom ofthe pilot beam I, an adapter casting l is desirably used to form anextension 8 to the front face of the pilot beam to receive the lowerbolts 9 for securing the 0 lower portion of the base casting 2 to thepilot beam I. Said adapter casting I is desirably interlocked andconnected with the pilot beam I by having the base portion in fittingbetween the portion of the front wall II of the pilot beam 35 whichextends below the lower web I2 thereof and a depending flange portionI3, and connected to said lower web portion I2 in any desired manner, asby means of the bolts I4 and stud I5, as shown most clearly in Figures 1and 2. If desired, liners I6 may be positioned between the front face ofthe pilot beam I and adapter casting 'I and the rear face of the basecasting 2. I I

Received in the base casting 2 is what may be termed a radial casting orradially swinging mem= ber W. said casting I! is adapted to supportrockers I 8 in rearwardly opening pockets I9, thereby providing forradial movement, and the stub shank 20 of a pilot coupler 2| in aforwardly opening pocket 22. In the present embodiment, each 50 of thetwo rockers I8 has a cylindrical pivot 'or end portion 23 swivelled forhorizontal angling in a corresponding socket 24 in the base casting 2.and flares outwardly to a toothed circumferential edge portion 25normally engaging a corresponding concavely curved toothed portion 26 onthe radial casting ll. lhe toothed portion 26 on the radial casting l lis curved to a radius about which the supported coupler is to swing.

In order to allow for the desired swinging of the radial casting H, thefront face 21 of the base Web 6 of the casting 2 is cylindrically curvedabout a center corresponding with the curvature of the associated radialcasting l1 and the rear face of the socket portion 28 which provides thecoupler stem receiving pocket 22 is correspondingly concavely curved, sothat upon movement of the radial casting from side to side, there is nobinding between it and the base wall 6 of the base casting 2, thecylindrical toothed rocking surfaces 25 of the rocker members I8allowing the radial casting to swing about a fixed center or axisdisposed rearwardly of the base casting and pilot beam a relativelygreat distance so as to give the supported coupler 2| the equivalent ofa long shank.

In order to mount the coupler stem 20 in the radial casting ll, as wellas prevent undesired withdrawal of the radial casting ll from the basecasting 2, a connecting pin or headless bolt 29 desirably extendsvertically through the stem 26 and the walls of the radial casting I1,those portions of said pin 29 above and below the upper and lower websof the radial casting I! having mounted thereon washers or wear members30, the sides of which are desirably cylindrically curved about thecenter provided for the swinging of the radial casting so that the upperwasher 30 is adapted to slide on the depending cylindrical flange 3! ofthe base casting 2 and the lower washer 38 is adapted to slide on theupstanding cylindrical flange 32 of the base casting 2, thereby allowingfor the radial movement of the coupler 2| on draft, it being understoodthat the rockers i8 allow for such radial movement on buif. Of course,it will be understood that the rear or bearing surfaces on the flanges3| and 32 are curved about a center or axis corresponding with thecenter or axis of the curved and toothed front wall or web 26 of theradial casting H.

To provide for insertion and removal of the pin 29, the upper web 33 ofthe base casting 2 is shown apertured, as indicated at 34, said aperturebeing normally closed by a cap 35 held in place by a retainer or cotter36. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the washers 30 arecomparatively loose on the pin 29, so that they may be inserted beforethe assembly of the radial casting H with the base casting 2 and the pin29 simply dropped to position after assembly of the other parts. Inorder to allow for convenient removal of the pin 29, a relatively smallhole 31 is provided in the lower web portion 38 so that when the cap 35is removed, the pin may be pushed out of the aperture 34 by a barinserted in the hole 31. In order to allow for the convenient taking upof wear between the pin 29 and shank 20 of the coupler 2 l, theapertured portion of said shank desirably has a bushing 39 appliedthereto. The lower web 38 of the base casting is desirably extended, asindicated at 40, to underlie the head of the coupler 2i and preventdrooping.

3| and 32 of the base casting 2 instead of sliding action as in thepreceding embodiment. A further difference resides in the fact thatdrooping of the coupler 2 l is prevented by extension of the lowerportion of the radial casting ll to engage the base casting extension40*, rather than having said extension directly engage the coupler head.

In the present embodiment, the rockers l8 are shown each provided with asingle tooth 25 instead of three teeth as in the preceding embodiment,each tooth fitting in a corresponding aperture in the circumferentialfront web 26 of the radial casting Il said apertures being framed byoutstanding beading 4| in order to protect the teeth 25* which, as willbe understood, are relatively long in order to provide the desiredguiding action for the full swivelling movement of the coupler. Theopening to the coupler stem pocket 22 is likewise desirably framed bybeading 42 of radial dimension corresponding with the beading 4|. As inthe preceding embodiment, the base casting 2 may be connected to anassociated pilot beam (not shown) with the aid of an adapter casting(not shown), if desirable or necessary. In the present embodim nt, theaperture 34 allowing for insertion and removal of the pivot pin 29 isdisposed oif-center, so that the pin will normally be retained inposition by the top web 33 of the base casting 2 without the necessityof a retaining cap. Except as specifically described and illustrated,the embodiment of Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, may correspond with thefirst described embodiment.

From the foregoing disclosure, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be seen that I have provided for the mounting of alocomotive coupler in such a manner that it may move horizontally inservice as if it were pivoted about a center disposed a relatively greatdistance rearwardly of the pilot beam without weakening the beam orinterfering with the normal front end structure of the locomotive by theprovision of an unusually long shank on the coupler.

Although preferred embodiments of my invention have been disclosed, itwill be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In adevice of the character indicated, in combination with a basemember adapted to be rigidly secured to a locomotive, a radiallyswinging member supported by and movable with respect to said basemember, said swinging member having a forwardly opening pocket receivinga coupler stem, and a pin connecting said stem to said swinging member,said pin extending above and belowsaid swinging member to overlapportions of the base member and retain the parts in assembled relation.

2. In a device of the character indicated, in combination with alocomotive pilot beam with normally horizontal and vertical webportions, said vertical Web portion being continued below the lower faceof the horizontal web portion, a base casting with a web secured to thefront face of said vertical web portion and extending below the loweredge thereof, an adapter casting with a portion engaging said lower facebehind said extension, connected to the horizontal web of said beam andprovided with a web extending from behind said extension and below saidbeam in line with the front face of said vertical web portion, meansconnecting the lower portion of said base casting web to said adaptercasting, a radially swinging member mounted in said base casting, and acoupler connected to said swinging member.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination with a pilotbeam, means providing a forwardly opening recess at the front thereof,means providing inwardly extending shoulders partly closing said recess,a casting having a rounded end portion extending into the recess, meansfor pivotally uniting said casting to said beam, rocker members seatedin said recess and adapted to engage the casting, said rocker membersand said pivotal means serving respectively to take the force of buffingand draft imparted to said casting, a coupler with a stem extending intosaid casting between said rockers, and means securing said stem inplace.

4. In adevice of the character indicated, the combination with a castingadapted to be rigidly secured to a railway vehicle and provided with apocket, of a member received in said pocket, means connecting saidmember and casting for the transmission of draft forces, while allowingradial swinging of the former with respect to said casting about an axislying outside of said member, rocker means in said pocket and interposedbetween said casting and said swinging member so as to allow for saidswinging and serve to transmit bufiing forces from said member to saidcasting, and a coupler carried by said swinging member.

5. In a device of the character indicated, in combination with a basecasting adapted to be rigidly secured to a railway vehicle and providedwith a forwardly opening pocket, of a radial casting received in saidpocket, means adapting said radial casting to swing with respect to saidbase casting about an axis disposed to the rear of said radial castingand serving to transmit draft forces therebetween, rocker means in saidpocket, pivoted with respect to said base casting, and interposedbetween it and said radial casting so as to transmit bufiing forcestherebetween, and a coupler with a stem received in a forwardly openingpocket in said radial casting.

6. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with acasting adapted to be rigidly secured to a railway vehicle, of aradially swinging member supported by and movable with respect to saidcasting, a coupler carried by said swinging member, draft forcetransmitting means connecting said coupler, swinging member and casting,and a plurality of rockers interposed between said casting and saidswinging member, each of said rockers having end portions swiveled insockets in said casting and circumferential portions adapted to roll onportions of said swinging member.

7. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a basecasting adapted to be rigidly secured to a locomotive, of a radialcasting supported by and movable with respect to said base casting andprovided with concavely curved surfaces facing the latter, a couplercarried by said radial casting, and rocker means interposed between saidbase casting and radial casting, said rocker means having end portionsmovable with respect to said base casting and circumferential portionsnormally rolling on the curved surfaces and having toothed engagementwith said radial casting.

8. In a device of the character indicated, in

combination with a bracket member adapted to be rigidly secured to arailway vehicle, a radially swinging member supported by and movablewith respect to said bracket member, said swinging member having aconcave surface curved to correspond with the desired radius ofswinging, rocker means disposed between said bracket member and radiallyswinging member, engaging said concave surface, and serving to allow forswinging and transmit buffing forces therebetween, and a coupler carriedby said swinging member.

9. In a device of the character indicated, in combination with a basemember adapted to be rigidly secured to a railway vehicle and having aforwardly opening pocket, a radially swinging member supported in saidpocket and movable with respect to said base member, said swingingmember having a surface concavely curved to correspond with the desiredradius of swinging, rockers movably engaging said base member and withconvex surfaces engaging said concavely curved surface on the swingingmember to allow for swinging and transmit buffing forces therebetween,and a coupler carried by said swinging member.

10. In a device of the character indicated, in combination with a basemember adapted to be rigidly secured to a railway vehicle and having aforwardly opening pocket, a radially swinging member received in saidpocket and movably supported by said base member, said swinging memberhaving a rearwardly facing concave surface. rockers disposed in saidpocket between said base member and the concave surface of said swingingmember to transmit bufling forces and reduce friction during relativemovement, said swinging member having a forwardly opening pocketedportion disposed between said rockers, and a coupler with a shankextending into said pocketed portion and connected to said swingingmember.

GLENN F. COUCH.

